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History

1957

northern shaft in Brimble Pit excavated.

1968

designated a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).

1991

Brimble Pit Swallet excavated by William Stanton.

1992

Brimble Pit Swallet excavated by William Stanton.

Description

Brimble Pit and Cross Swallet Basins is a geological Site of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSI).
In an area of about 150ha numerous karst features can be found, primarly swallow
holes and dolines.
Some of the swallow holes allow acces to the caves behind, but those are
strictly for cavers and very dangerous.
Nevertheless the surface features of this area are very impressive and easy to
visit on a short walk.
Two adjacent karstic basins are draining into two swallow holes, one into
Brimble Pit, the other into Cross Swallet.

Brimble Pit is a large depression coverd by old lake sediments, pitted
with sinkholes.
The sediments are the remains of a former Pleistocene lake.
It was excavated by the caver William Stanton to access
the cave below.
When he discovered archaeological material he separated it from the removed debris
for archaeological examination.
Below the sediments two shafts were discovered.
The northern shaft gives access to the cave below, while the southern shaft was
blocked at the bottom by rocks.
Because of this blockkage is was filled completely with sediments, which were
excavated by Stanton to a depth of -8 meters.
200 pieces of flint, animal bones showing evidence of butchery, human bones and
42 sherds of Grooved Ware pottery were found in the sediments.

But the most important discover was a polished greenstone axehead, discovered
below the shafts, where they meet again.
It was in such perfect condition that it was most likely never used as an axe.
It was probably thrown into the shaft for religious purposes, as an offering.
However, there are no damages which could appear after it has been throuwn into
a 10m deep, narrow, rocky shaft.
The findings are rather enigmatic, but it seems the swallow holes of the area
were used by Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age man for rituals involving the
deposition of artifacts and human remains.
The whole area shows numerous megalithic remains, like standing stone, stone
circles and so forth.
Stonehenge and Woodhenge are not far away.